[opendtv] Re: Commentary: Is Internet TV yet another would-be wedding?

  • From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:52:39 -0400

At 8:19 AM -0700 8/26/08, Kon Wilms wrote:
On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 7:57 AM, Manfredi, Albert E
<albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
 Very timely article. I'll stick with my previous comments on the
 subject, i.e. that Internet TV can work fine as long as it's TV, and not
 the sort of heavily interactive experience people prefer doing, and have
 become accustomed doing, sitting up to a PC, with keyboard, and
 typically alone.

 "In contrast, the Widget Channel uses a thin bar along the bottom as a
 default. It's not about browsing -- it's about pushing content."

A thin bar with pushed content? This is something new? Yawn!

The problem with internet television on a television is not the fact
that it is interactive -- it's the fact that the input mechanisms
(mouse and keyboard) are antiquated. We need gesture control for one
thing. Until the CE industry realizes this, they will just continue to
flounder and push nonsense like 'push widgets' as newfangled
technologies.

YUP!

It's about the I/O.

And Kon is right about gestural interfaces.

Fortunately, we now have some early devices that offer the potential to solve this problem.

A popular APP for the iPhone is called Remote. At the moment it only talks to devices connected to the home network that can stream audio/video/photos to a TV connected to an Apple TV or computer. But the basic tools are all there.

I am guessing that Apple will introduce a larger iPod Touch device (maybe this fall) that can double as a TV remote. In the family room it will provide the I/O to control the content on the big screen. AND it will allow content to be moved to the new touch device for place shifted viewing.

And you can bet that your iPhone will be able to tell your DVR at home to record something...

Regards
Craig


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